Progressive commentator Ana Kasparian completely unloaded on members of President Donald Trump’s MAGA fanbase Friday who are outraged by Latin artist Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show, calling their anger “dumb.”
“Like, whatever, it’s football, who cares, like, it’s just, this is so dumb ... this obsession with instilling fear and destroying any fun or entertainment in the country on behalf of your political message is gross,” Kasparian told co-host Cenk Uygur on Friday’s episode of “The Young Turks.”
Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance at the Super Bowl halftime show sparked fury among many on the right, who complained that the artist didn’t have songs in English, had criticized Trump and immigration enforcement and was from Puerto Rico, which is a U.S. territory.
Department of Homeland Security adviser Corey Lewandowski on Wednesday added fuel to the fire while appearing on right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson’s show, where he threatened to have ICE agents attend the massive NFL event at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in February.
“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” Lewandowski said.
On Friday, Kasparian defended Bad Bunny’s slated performance, noting his popularity and that he’s a performer who generates conversation. The singer sold out his concerts during his 30-date Puerto Rico residency in July, driving up tourism and boosting the island’s economy, The New York Times reported.
Uygur challenged Lewandowski to “go for it” and have ICE agents operate at the Super Bowl, claiming “they’re going to look like assholes” at one of the country’s most-watched sporting events.
“Hey, if your position is popular, then you do it in the one thing that most Americans watch, great, then you’ll be more popular,” Uygur said. “OK, if it’s not popular, which I suspect you know it’s not popular, then you’ll seem like the biggest jerks in the world in front of the whole country.”
Kasparian called right-wing outrage over Bad Bunny “their latest efforts to essentially distract Americans with vicious culture wars,” arguing that the NFL Super Bowl halftime show is “the most insignificant thing on the planet.”
“Let’s stop ruining what’s left in terms of joy in America,” she argued. “You know what I’m saying?”
CORRECTION: This article has been amended to reflect that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory.